This invention relates to an apparatus for opening a plurality of textile fiber bales and is of the type which has an opening device including, for example, spiked rollers or toothed discs which are mounted on a carriage traveling horizontally back and forth parallel to the length dimension of the apparatus. The apparatus further comprises a grate through which the opening elements such as teeth or spikes project and which is adapted to directly engage a top face of the bale.
In a known apparatus of the above type the fiber bales are arranged in a stationary bale frame and there are provided vertically adjustable rails supporting a horizontally traveling carriage on which, in turn, a tuft removing arrangement (opening device) is mounted. This arrangement comprises a housing, a grate, an opening roller and a suction tube. The housing is secured to the carriage and, at its part oriented towards the bales, carries the grate through which project the spikes of the opening roller mounted in the housing. Further, on the housing there is mounted the suction nipple through which the fiber tufts are drawn away pneumatically into a flexible suction conduit. The grate extends over the entire bale surface underneath the opening roller and is fixedly attached at both ends of the housing to the underside thereof. In this manner the grate forms a closed space with the housing. The fiber tufts which are removed by the opening roller are thrown against one portion of the grate, approximately at the mid zone thereof. This known grate thus impedes a removal of the fiber tufts from the upper surface of the bale, significantly affecting the efficiency of the apparatus.